Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs), such as Gaucher disease and Fabry disease, occur when glycolipids accumulate in lysosomes due to defect in their catabolism. Two general strategies exist for the treatment of lysosomal storage diseases. The first strategy includes the replacement or restoration of the defective or absent catabolizing enzyme (e.g., the infusion of recombinant enzyme, chaperone therapy, bone marrow transplantation, or gene therapy) (1). Enzyme replacement therapy is clinically approved for lysosomal storage diseases with peripheral manifestations, but is limited by the inability of the infused recombinant enzyme to distribute into the CNS, and by the frequent development of auto-antibodies to the protein in patients carrying null mutations.
The second strategy involves synthesis inhibition therapy (2). Synthesis inhibition is a more recent therapeutic approach, and has focused on identifying small molecule inhibitors of GCS. Two classes of these inhibitors have been described, including imino sugars and analogues of D-threo-1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-propanol (PDMP) (3). The imino sugar N-butyldeoxynojirimycin (NBDNJ) is limited by its micromolar level inhibitory activity and limited specificity against the synthase. The limited specificity is associated with a high level of undesired effects resulting from secondary sites of action unrelated to glycolipid synthesis inhibition. These effects most notably include diarrhea, weight loss, and tremor, which limits the approved use of NBDNJ in the United States (4). One advantage of NBDNJ over the PDMP based homologs reported to date is its ability to distribute into the CNS. However, a recent study raised questions with respect to the ability of NBDNJ to lower CNS glycolipid levels (K. M. Ashe et al., Plos One 6:e21758 (2011)).
A number of GCS inhibitors have been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,302,609; 5,472,969; 5,525,616; 5,916,911; 5,945,442; 5,952,370; 6,030,995; 6,051,598; 6,255,336; 6,569,889; 6,610,703; 6,660,794; 6,855,830; 6,916,802; 7,253,185; 7,196,205; and 7,615,573. Additional GCS inhibitors and treatments are disclosed in WO 2008/150486; WO 2009/117150; and WO 2010/014554.
A compound that is currently in clinical trials and structurally related to PDMP is N-((1R,2R)-1-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-1-hydroxy-3-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)propan-2-yl)octanamide, also known as Genz-112638 and eliglustat tartrate (5). Recent phase 2 clinical trials using this drug for type 1 Gaucher disease demonstrated an efficacy equal to or greater than that for recombinant β-glucocerebrosidase, as evidenced by reversal of spleen and liver enlargement, correction of anemia, and improvements in thrombocytopenia and bone density (6). Phase 3 trials with eliglustat tartrate are currently in progress. Experimental data also support a potential role for eliglustat tartrate in the treatment of Fabry disease, another lysosomal storage disease with peripheral manifestations (7).
GSC inhibition also is expected to treat six other lysosomal storage diseases with CNS involvement, including early and late onset Tay-Sachs disease, Sandhoff disease, GM1 gangliosidosis, and types 2 and 3 Gaucher disease. For example, an experimental model of genetic epistasis demonstrated markedly improved survival in a mouse model of Sandhoff disease that also lack GM2 synthase (8). However, drug distribution studies indicate that eliglustat tartrate is not transported across the blood brain barrier (BBB) (5). A possible basis for the poor brain distribution of eliglustat tartrate may be that the drug is a substrate for the p-glycoprotein (MDR1) transporter, resulting in efflux of the drug.
Compounds that inhibit GCS have the potential to treat conditions associated with glycolipid accumulation. However, present day GCS inhibitors are limited by poor CNS penetration and/or low activity. An important advance in the art would be the discovery of GCS inhibitors, and particularly GCS inhibitors capable of crossing the BBB, that are useful in the treatment of diseases wherein GCS inhibition provides a benefit, such as type I, II, or III Gaucher disease, Fabry disease, Tay-Sachs disease, Sandhoff disease, diabetes, lupus, and other diseases and conditions associated with glycolipid accumulation in lysosomes. Accordingly, a need still exists in the art for efficacious compounds, compositions, and methods useful in the treatment of such diseases, alone or in conjunction with other therapies used to treat these diseases and conditions. The present invention is directed to meeting this need.